Airship



.I. G. AMBROSE.

AIRSHIP. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 25, 1919.

Patented Apr. 5, 1921.

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.l; G. AMBROSE.

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APPLICATION FILED NOV. 25, 1919.

1 2. 9 n E 5% mt AH H M JENNINGS GRANT AMBROSE, OF SAN DEEGO, CALIFORNIA.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 5, 1921 Application filed November 25, 1919. Serial No. 340,664.

1 0 oil who m. it may concern:

Be it known that l, JnNNrNcs G. Arnniosn, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Diego, in the county of San Diego and State of California, have invented a new and useful Airship, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to airships preferably of the hydro-aeroplane type one of its objects being to provide a helicopter which operates to facilitate the ascent of the machine from the surface of the water by creating a foam beneath the bottom of the machine, thus to break the adhesion of the water to the pontoon or hull and overcome or greatly reduce the drag which has heretofore greatly hampered the lifting of the body from the surface of a body of water.

Another object is to provide a pontoon structure which is detachably connected to the body of the machine and can be dropped when desired, thereby to lighten the machine, there being means by which a safe running landing can be made by the machine after the pontoon has been dropped.

lVith the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combina tions of parts which will be hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims, it being understood} that various changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings- Figure 1 is a plan view of the machine.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation.

Fig. 3 isan enlarged section on line 33, Fig. 4.

Fig. 4 is a section on line 44, Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a detail view of the lock actuating lever.

Fig. 6 is a section on line 6-6, Fig. 4.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference, 1 designates the elongated body of the machine in which is located the mechanism for driving the machine, the propellers 2 being located at the front, as ordinarily. Sustaining planes 3 are carried by the body and connected to the outer ends of the lower planes are small pontoons 4 the bottoms of which are above the plane of the bottom of the body 1. Ground wheels 5 are connected to the sides of the body and the usual or any preferred rudder mechanism can be provided for steering the machine, as shown at 6.

Arranged under the body 1 is the main pontoon 7 having side lugs or projections 8 extending up to the bottom of the body 1. These lugs are adapted to be engaged by fastening bolts 9 connected to the ends of levers 10 which are fulcrumed as at 11 between their ends. A longitudinal rod 12 is pivotally connected to all of the levers and is movably mounted in guides 13. A handle 14 is pivotally connected to the rod 12 at a point where it can be reached readily by the aviator and this handle is adapted to be swung laterally down onto the deck when not in use so as to be out of the way. 7

Extending through the; pontoon 7 are wells 15 which match with similar wells 16 in the body 1, and mounted in the wells 16 are helicopters 17 adapted to be driven by suitable mechanism, not shown.

It will be noted that side wings or flanges 18 are extended laterally from the body 1 at the top thereof and throughout the length of the body, these wings constituting supplemental sustaining means.

Assuming that the machine is resting on the surface of the water and it is desired to make an ascent, the helicopters are set in motion and will displace air downwardly within the wells 16 and 15, expelling it under the pontoon where it will create a foam and escape in all directions, producing a highly aerated surface on which the pontoon rests, so that the drag exerted by the water will be broken or materially reduced and the machine will rise from the surface quickly and without "requiring the power heretofore necessary. Obviously the helicopters will also assist in maintaining the machine at a desired elevation.

Should it be desired to lighten the machine or to release the pontoon 7 therefrom for any other reason, the aviator pulls on the lever 14 and shifts the rod 12 longitudinally. All of the levers 10 are thus actuated so as to pull the bolts from the projections 8, thereby allowing the pontoon to drop. When the pontoon is thus removed the wheels 5 project below the bottom of the body 1 so as to support the machine on the ground.

What is claimed is p 1. In a hydroaeroplane the combination with a pontoon, of air Wells extending clownwardly through'the pontoon and open at their upper and lower ends, and a helicopter mounted for rotation within each of the wells for expelling air downwardly from the wells to dissipate it between the bottom of the pontoon and the surface of the water to reduce the drag upon the pontoon by the water and to elevate the hydroaeroplane'.

2. In a hydroaeroplane the combination with an aeroplane structure, of a pontoon thereunder, wells extending downwardly through the aeroplane structure and through the pontoon and registering, said wells being open at their upper and lower ends, means for detachably connecting the pontoon to the aeroplane structure, helicopters mounted for rotation within the well for displacing air downwardly and dissipating it between the pontoon and the surface of the water on which the pontoon is resting, and means under the control of the aviator for disconnecting the pontoon from the aeroplane structure while the machine is in flight.

'I'n testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto allixed my ture in the presence of two witnesses.

JENNINGS GRANT AMBROSE.

Witnesses:

S. A. MCDOWELL, J. O. HoBsoN.

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